Automatic bumper and body catcher



Feb. 25, 1930. c. H. TRIESCHMANN AUTOMATIC BUMPER AND BODY GATCHER Filed July 22, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 w 14. JMZ ZL,

TOBNEYJ' 1930. c. H. TRIESCHMANN 8,371

AUTOMATIC BUMPER AND BODY GATCHER Filed Jul 22, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 2 TTORNEYS Feb. 25, 1930. c. TRIESCHMANN ,7 8,371

AUTOMATIC BUMPER AND BODY CATCHER ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 25, 1930 PATENT OFFICE cnrtnri, :rRInsc MAnN, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN AUToMArIo BUMPER AND BODY GATCHER Application filed July 22, 1929. Serial No. 380,041.-

' This invention relates to improvements in automatic bumpers and body catchers. I

'It is one of the objects of the present in vention to provide an automatic fender for self-propelled vehicles which will, be-instantly movedfrom a compactinoperative posi- 'tion'to an extended operative position upon a portion thereof coming --in contact with an obstruction.

a A further object of the inventionis to provide adevice of the character described which inaddition to being automatically operated by-contact, maybe manually operated from thedrivers-seat of the vehicle, or'other convenient point remote from the bumper.

A further object of the invention is to pro- .vide a device of the character described which may beeasily attached to all types of motor vehicles and propelled carriers, and which is neat and attractive inappeara'nce and does got detract from they appearance'of the ve icle;

. A further object of theinvention is to provide a-spring'controlleddevice of the characimpact when a collision occurs." a

, --A further object of the invention is to provide anv automatic bumper and body catcher 'inwhichfthe latter portion is normallyfolded and concealed in flexible sections back of and below thebumper portion, A further object oftheinventionis to provide-adeviceof the character described in which the body. catcher,p.when released, in stantaneously and V automatically unfolds, 1 descends and adjusts itself to road conditions and paving level, traveling thereon by means of roller bars, below the bumper, screening theentire road-width ofthe'car, including the wheels. I

Afurther object of the invention is to I provide a device of, the character described in a which the body catcher is so constructed that whenit is extended to operative position, it cannot buckle or j am-backwardly, and which will automatically adjust itself to an uneven road bed. a 3

Y A further object ofthefinvent-ion is to provide a device of the character described which ter described which'will cushion the shock or will not interfere With manual cranking-of the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an upper cushioned member operatively associated with the bumper andthe lower body catcher or fender'and arranged so that uponv an operative contact by the bumper, said upper cushioned member will immediatelybe projected upwardly to a guarding position in front ofthe vehicle radiator, to prevent, if a person is thrown upwardly by the bumper, his being injuriously struck by the radiator front.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking arrangement which may 6 be set or released from the dash of the vehicle, whereby the bumper, fender and guard may be locked in their normal positions against being sprung, which feature is desirable when the vehicle is parked and might be subjected to a slight bump from another vehicle, and in such event it would be unnecessary and inconvenient for the bumper, fender and guard to be released and moved to operativepositions. I

A further object of the invention is to provide an, automatic bumper and body catcher of the class described in which the bumper bars and the radiator guard bars are of a pneumatic cushion arrangement, whereby the impulse of a body thereagainst will be materially cushioned.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic bumper and body catcher which is of very simple construction, is efiic'ient and automatic in its operation, is strong and durable and, is well adapted for the'purpose's described.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists of the improved automatic bumper and body catcher, and its parts catcher and guard in operative, released positions;

Fig. 2 is a v1ew similar to Fig. i, with portions of the device shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the vehicle and device connected thereto, with the body catcher and guard shown in operative positions, there also being portions broken away and in section to show'details of construction; I

Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the device with portions broken'away and in section to show the means for releasably 7 locking the parts in normal or set positions,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional viewiof the device showing particularly the guard holding and operating mechanism, and on a larger scale; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of the latch means for normall holding the guard in its lowered, .set position. I

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, it will appear that the numeral 10 designates a motor vehiclehaving secured to the front portion of its frame a pair offorwardly projecting arms 11. The forward portion of each arm is enlarged and bored to form a cylinder 12. A piston 13 is mounted in each cylinder-on an extended rod 14 and said piston isadapted to move inwardly in the cylinder against the'tension of a coiled spring 15. The forward ends of the piston rods 14 are secured to and yieldingly support end portions of a-' bumper or buffer frame 16, and the individual buffer bars or members 16 are of a pneumatic, cushioned construction to absorb a portion of the shock when an'obstruction or body isstruck. The

ward fender section 23 is pivotally secured to the forward end portion of the section 22 portion of the vehicle are also formed with integral, curved, downwardly and forwardly projecting extensions 11' which havepivotg ally secured thereto the inner section 22 of a foldable body catcher or fender. Said fender section extends transversely across the front of the vehicle, terminating at the outer edges of the vehicle wheels, and is formed of a plurality of spaced roller bars 22". A forend of its cylinder." c Adapted to be vertically movably carried byfouter end portions of 'the'pair of piston rods 37 is a radiator guard, designated generally by the numeral 39,. Said guard comby links 24, and said section 23 is also formed;

of spaced roller bars 23. There is also foldably or pivotally secured to the forward end portion of the fender section 23 a narrow leader section 25'formed with ground engaging rollers 26 and forward, normally slightly raisedrollers27. The sections 22 and 23, and theend's of the arms lleare provided with lugs 28 which engage adjacent portions of adjacent sections to prevent buckling, when the sections, 1

It should be; observed that aspring 29 is coiled about a pivot rod 30 on which the sections 22 and 23 fold with respectto each other, and the end portions of the spring yield {the fender is in its lowered, operative position,,and to limitthe folding movements of ingly" engage respectively bars of the sections 23 and 25 there asimilarly arranged spring 31 on a pivot rod .32. Said springs serve to put the fender sections under tension when they are extended to ipreventany folding tendency of the sections when in road con Thereare secured, to outer intermediate 7 r side portionsof the arms 11 a pair ofop posed, vertically positionedcylinders 33', and in the bore ofeach cylinder is slidably mounted a piston 34 having a recess 35 initslower tact.

end portion-to receive the upper endportion of an expansive spring 36 confined between the piston and the bottom of the cylinder, to

exert a raising force onthe'piston, Each piston carries an upwardly projecting piston rod 37 extending upwardly, outwardly; through 22 and 23, and between the fender sections an opening in a bushing 38 closing the upper. I

prises a'pair of curved frames'40 and 41 ex tended transversely across the front of the vehicle, and each frame carries a pneumatic cushion member or pad, 40 and 41., respec tively. 'Iheupper guard frame 40'is pinned to the piston rods 37 as at 42, so asto move vertically therewith, whiletherpiston rods extend slidably through the lowerguard frame 41, said guard framehaving a limited free sliding movement thereon. The piston rods are prevented from turning by inward v lye projecting studs, 43 in'the frame 41vertica-lly slidably engaging slots v44 in said piston rods, and upon upward movements of said piston rods when thelower ends of the slots engage said studs, thef raine 41 will be moved upwardlya short distance to the dotted line V positionin Figs. 1' and 6, the raised position of the upper frame 40 also being shown in saidviews. M Y r.

The frames 40-and 41 and the piston rods 37 are normally held in their lowered 'positions by meansof a pair of hook. members 45 showing ofa mounting of a dog: 48 and the which: are pivotally mounted on lugs 46 ex- I tending laterally from: the upper portions of the cyl'inders'38. The flat surfaces47 of the-hook portions ofsaidmembers 45 rest on the upper surfaces of wedge-shaped dogs 48 pivotally mounted within recesses in 'the' guardframe 40. In Fig. 7 there is a detailed latter is normally held'in the full line position by" a spring '49 bearing thereagainst.

, However, when the frame 40m pushed'down,

as when the hooks 45 areto beset, the hooks will+slideflagainstthe edges of said members 48, and to permit clearancethe dogs will move inwardly against their springs until the heads of the hooksihave cleared and engage the top-portions of said dogs.

@In normal use, the buffer, the tender and.

the radiator guard are positioned as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6 in full lines, with: the fender sections folded and the guard frames in their lowered positions.

The fender sections are releasablyheld in this position by a pair of 7 rod 80 when said triggers are in normal pe opposedarms or triggers formed with recesses 51 Which engage and hold "the pivot I sition. Said triggers 50 are formed'integral with the pivot cranks 20 and said combined cranks and triggers are medially pivotally mounted on .a transverse pivot rod52 journale'dat: its end portions in the lug portions 53 ofthe -supportingarms'11.

A lever 54 is also carried fast by the pivot rod 52 and said lever is'connected by means pr a cable or rod 55 with a bell crank lever 56 pivotallyvmounted on, a portion of the frame ofthe vehicle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Said bell crank lever in turn has attached thereto one end of a connection 57 which eXQ tends up to the instrument board or adjacent the drivers seat. Hence, by means of the members 51, 56, 55 and 54, the driverof the vehicle may manually operate the triggers 50 to release and drop the fender, when necessary, and also raise the radiator guard, and

- this may be done independently of any action p and pistons 13 to move inwardly within their 55 on the buffer. a

Release of thefender by the bumper, whereby the fender is automatically dropped to the dotted line position in Figs, 1 and 6, is accomplished by an impact against the buffer fbars when'an object is struck. Force exerted against the bufier bars will cause the rods 14 cylinders 12 against the tension of the springs 15, and said movement of the rods 14 will cause the members 20-50 to move toreleasing positions, allowing the fender to drop and unfoldi At the same time, a pair of rods 58 connected to'cranks 59 fast on the pivot rods 60, on which the hook members 45 are 1 mounted, are pulled forwardly, causing said hook members to be pivotallv moved to a position of disengagement with respect to the dogs 48, whereupon the expansive force of the springs 36will cause the pistons 34 and piston rods 37 to be projected upwardly, raising the guard frames, as previously mentioned. i a

As impacts against the buffer will automatically cause the fender and radiator guard to be released, it is desirableto provide means for preventing this action when the vehicle is parked, or while it is being parked and might be subjected to slight bumps by other vehicles. This is accomplished'by means of a pair of pivotally mounted locking elements 61 connected by a rod 62, and adapted when moved in onedirection, to occupy space between the buifer frame bosses 63 and the front portions of the cylinders 12, whereby inward movement ofthe buffer, and the consequent movement of the rods 14 and release of the fender and radiator guard, is prevented. Said locking elements 61 are manually operated by a rod 64 connected to the rod'62, as at 65,'and the inner end portion of the'rod 64 is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 66 mounted on one of the supporting arms 11. Extending to the drivers position of the vehicle from the other arm of said bell crank lever is an operating rod 67. Hence, when the operating rod 67 is pulled, the locking elementsare pivotally moved to their interposed, operative positions, preventing releasing of the fender and guard, while when the rod 67 is pushed, said locking ele-. ments will be moved to their inoperative positions, shown in full lines in Fig. 3.

The space between the two arms 11 from 4 the rear of the buffer t'othe front of the radiator is closed by a plate 68 which acts as a catcher for bodies which might be thrown over the top ofthe buffer, and the radiator guard prevents bodies so thrown from being injured by hard contact with the front of the radiator.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the improved automatic bumper an d body'catcher is both simple and novel. and is well adapted for the purposes described.

, What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination with a vehicle, a buifer yieldingly supported forwardly of the vehicle, a sectional fender mounted forwardly of the vehicle, releasable means for normally holding said fender in a folded, raised position, a vertically movable guard positioned across the front of the vehicle and rearwardly of the buffer, means for automatically promeans and the guard holding means whereby both of the holding means will release the members held thereby upon an inward move ment of the buffer caused by an impact there a gainst y 2. In combination with a vehicle, a pneumatic buffer yieldingly supported forwardly 1 of the vehicle,--a.sectional'fender mounted forwardly of the. vehicle, releasable means for normally holding said fender in, a folded,

- In combination with a vehicle, a buffer yieldingly supported forwardly of the vehicle, a sectional fender mounted forwardly of the vehicle, releasable means for normally holding saidfender in a folded, raised position, a vertically 'movableguard positioned across the frontof the vehicle and rearwardly of the buffer, means for automatically projecting said guard upwardly, means for normally, releasably holding said guard in a lowered position, connections :between said buffer and both the fender holding means and the guard holding means 'wherebyboth of the holding-means will release the members held thereby upon an inward movement of g the buffer caused by an impact thereagainst,

and manually operated meansfor preventing automatic operation of both of said holding means and. the release of the members held thereby. r j

4. In combination with a vehicle, a pair of arms secured thereto, a buffer yieldingly carried by said arms, a pair of opposed and connected trigger members, a sectional fender normally intermediately' engaged and held in a folded horizontal position by said op'- posed trigger members rearwardly of and below said buifer, a vertically movable guard positioned across the front of the vehicle and rearwardly'of' the buffer, means forautomatically projecting said guard upwardly, latch means for normally, releasably holding said guard in a lowered position, and mechanism connected with said trigger members and with said latch and operated, by an inward'movement of any portion of the buffer for simultaneously moving the trigger members and the latch to release the fender and guard.

5. In. combination with a vehicle, apair of arms secured thereto, the forward portions ofsaid arms being formed with cylinders, a buifer extending transversely with respect to. said arms, pistons carried by said buffer and operable in said cylinders, coiled springs confined in said cylinders and exerting an outward force against said pistons, a rod ournaled in said arms, a pair of opposed triggers carried by'said rod, connectionsbe tween the triggers and pistons for moving the triggers to a releasing position upon on inward movement of a piston, a sectional fender normally engaged and held in a folded positionby said trigger members rearwardly of and below said buffer, yielding means between pairs of the fender sections andengag- .ing adjacent sections to preventmthe same from buckling when the fender is in open position, a verticallymovable guard extended transversely across the front of the vehicle and rearwardly of the bufier, spring means for urging said guard-upwardly, latch means for normally holding said guard downwardly 6. Ina vehicle havinga fender and a buffer, R

movements of the latter controlling the re: leasing of the fender, a movable radiator guard, and mechanism between said guard and the buffer and fender whereby operations of the buffer and fender willcause simultaneous operations of said guard. a In testimony whereof, Iafiix my signature. CARL H. TRIESCHMANN r 

